In a groundbreaking development, a team of scientists in China has successfully executed the world’s first “effective” quantum attack on classic encryption methods. Utilizing a standard quantum computer from Canadian company D-Wave Systems, the scientists managed to hack cryptographic algorithms widely used in sectors like banking and the military, raising serious concerns about the security of existing encryption systems.
Headed by Van Chao from Shanghai University, the researchers targeted the algorithms of the Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN), including Present, GIFT-64, and RECTANGLE. These SPN algorithms form the basis of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), with AES-256 often referred to as the “military standard” due to its resistance against quantum attacks.
While details of the attack methodology remain undisclosed, Van Chao declined to provide further information in an interview with the South China Morning Post, citing the sensitive nature of the topic. The study highlights the imminent threat posed by quantum computers to the security of prevalent SPN algorithms.
Published in the Chinese Journal of Computers, the article underscores the significance of this achievement, calling it the first instance where a real quantum computer poses a substantial threat to widely-used SPN algorithms.
D-Wave Systems, the pioneering commercial supplier of quantum computers, counts Lockheed Martin, NASA, and Google among its clientele. Despite most universal quantum systems currently lacking the sophistication to jeopardize modern encryption, the emergence of “useful” quantum machines is anticipated in the coming years.
The unprecedented computing power of quantum systems to tackle complex problems and potentially breach most public key algorithms has prompted efforts to develop “quantum-resistant” cryptography. Earlier this year, the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) released a final set of crucial encryption algorithms designed to safeguard against future cyber threats posed by quantum computers.